The elimination of vegetation originating from a process of deforestation leaves the soil unprotected. This increases the risk of degradation by erosion due to several different processes.
Importance: great.
Click on the image Deforestation in a rainforest due to itinerant agriculture
Chiapas (Mèxic). (Curso Diplomado Internacional
de Edafología Nicolás Aguilera (UNAM - BUAP)
Soil functions affected:
Biomass production, environmental functions (transformation, filtration), hydrological function, reduction of carbon sequestration, functions for preventing offsite effects (sediment supply during floods, silting up of dams).
Click on the image Deforestation and earth movements in order
to create more favourable land morphology: crops
following practically horizontal contours
Maresme (M. A. Aran)
Diagnostic criteria:
Those corresponding to each type of erosive process.
Prevention and control:
Study of the rainfall regime and local landform. Envisage a system of forest exploitation that takes into account the risk of erosion in the area.